Novamont may have found a solution for recycling biowaste effectively. Under the brand MATER-BI, they have developed waste collection bags made from biodegradable and compostable bioplastic. Presented at the IFAT trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management, held in Munich last week, Novamont’s bags are compatible with all of the organic waste collection systems currently in place in Europe.

Today a lot of organic waste still ends up in landfills, where it produces methane gas and leachate as it decomposes, which can potentially pollute groundwater and negatively impact the climate. MATER-BI bags could help prevent this by collecting organic waste separately and creating quality compost, which could also help combat erosion and desertification. MATER-BI bioplastics are made using proprietary technologies from combinations of starches, cellulose and vegetable oils. They are deemed biodegradable and compostable according to the European EN 13432 standard.

Recycling organic waste will be required of all EU members by the end of 2024 and by 2035 the maximum allowance for organic waste in landfills will be set at 10%. Several European cities have already started using MATER-BI compostable bags for organic waste collection, such as Milan, Copenhagen, Geneva, Manchester and Roskilde, to name a few. As a result about 312,000 tonnes of wet waste have been collected so far.